Patterns of Rape
Rapists have different motives for raping which creates distinct
patterns of attacks. Each attack has its own pattern depending on the
motives of the rapist. The patterns of rape include the anger rape,
the power rape and the sadistic rape.
The Anger Rape
The anger rape accounts for forty percent of the rapes that occur
nationwide. It is characterized by physical brutality with the rapist
using far more force than is necessary to subdue the victim. The
experience for the offender is one that is of conscious anger and rage.
He expresses his rage both physically and verbally upon the victim
during the attack. His aim is to hurt and debase his victim. He often
shows his contempt through abusive and profane language. The anger
rapist considers rape the ultimate offense he can commit against the
victim. Such a rapist strikes sporadically and infrequently, because
the attack will discharge his anger and relieves his frustrations for a
time. But eventually he will reach his boiling point once more and
offend again. His need is to hurt and degrade his victim, his weapon
being sex and his motive is revenge.
The Power Rape
The objective of the power rapist is to control his victim, not to
harm her. Sexuality becomes a way to compensate for his underlying
feelings of inadequacy and feeds his issues of mastery, control,
strength, authority and capability. The power rapist relies upon verbal
threats, intimidation with a weapon, and only uses the amount of force
necessary to subdue his victim. Nationally, power rapes account for
fifty-five percent of all rapes.
The power rapists tends to have fantasies about sexual conquests and
rape. He may even believe that even though the victim initially resists
him, that once he overpowers her, she will eventually enjoy the rape.
He needs to believe that the victim enjoyed "it", and he
may even ask her for a date later. Because this is only a fantasy, he
does not feel reassured by either his own preformance or the victim's
response.He feels that he must find another victim, convinced that this
victim will be "the right one". Hence, his offenses may become
repetitive and compulsive. He may commit a series of rapes over
a short period of time.
The Sadistic Rape
In the sadistic rape, the rapist transforms anger and power so that
aggression becomes sexual and thus eroticized for him. He finds
intentional maltreatment of his victim sexually gratifying. He takes
pleasure in her torment, distress and anguish. This type of rape
accounts for five percent of rapes nationally.
Sadistic rape usually involves torture and restraint. Sometimes it can
take on ritualistic or other bizarre qualities. The victim's injuries
will be primarly focused on the sexual areas of her body; there may be
mutilation of these areas. The rapist may use some type of instrument
or foreign object to penetrate his victim.
The sadistic rapists' assautls are deliberate, caculated and preplanned.
He will often wear a disguise or will blindfold his victim. Prostitutes
or other women whom he preceives to be "promiscuous" are often the
sadistic rapists targets. The victims of a sadistic rapist may not
survive the attack. For some offenders, the ultimate satisfaction is
gained from murdering the victim.
Conclusion
The most important step towards understanding both the offender and
his crime is in recognizing that rape is not motivated by sexual desire nor
is it fulfilling a need for sexual gratification. It is an act of
violence motivated by anger, control and frustration--not sexual
frustration. Rape is a way of sexually expressing aggression. Sex is
then used as a weapon; it is the means, not the cause.